University of St. Thomas School of Law professor Mark Osler recently announced the opening of a unique initiative, a pro-bono, pop-up law office. The Clemency Resource Center (CRC) will be open for only one year and will exclusively prepare petitions for federal clemency.

Osler calls the new operation a “factory of justice” and has the goal of addressing at least 300 clemency cases. The pop-up is housed and co-founded by the Center on the Administration of Criminal Law at New York University School of Law.

Osler says that the United States’ federal prison population grew from 25,000 inmates in 1980 to over 200,000 today. The majority of prisoners are non-violent drug offenders. In an interview with Fox 9 TV News, Osler said, “I was a federal prosecutor. I was one of the people who put people into prison for long terms. I believe in punishment. I believe in incapacitation of people who are dangerous. But we didn’t solve the narcotics problem by sweeping up low wage labor.”

The CRC is opening when the issue of over-incarceration is a priority for President Obama. The White House announced 46 commutations this week. So far, Obama has commuted 89 drug offenses and plans to address even more. That is a record compared to other recent presidents. Lyndon Johnson holds the high with 226 commutations. George H.W. Bush granted the lowest number of commutations at 3.

Two of the seven lawyers recruited to staff the CRC are UST Law alumni, Eric Hylok and Arthur Waldon from the class of 2015. Both participated in Osler’s commutations clinic at UST Law.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 18, in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, that a church’s free speech rights were violated by an Arizona town’s ordinance that severely restricted the church’s ability to display temporary signs announcing and providing information about its Sunday worship services. This position was argued by an amicus curiae brief filed on the case by the University of St. Thomas School of LawReligious Liberty Appellate Clinic.

The professor- and student-written brief, filed on behalf of nine religious and civil rights groups, argued that the ordinance discriminated against the church’s signs, and – by treating signs announcing meetings as less worthy of protection – violated the church’s right to freedom of assembly, a distinct and important First Amendment right. The Court held that the ordinance was subject to strict constitutional scrutiny because it imposed more severe restrictions on roadside signs announcing events, such as the church’s worship services, than on signs setting forth messages that the town deemed “political” or “ideological.”

“The Supreme Court confirmed that there is no constitutional basis for treating a sign announcing a noncommercial meeting – such as a religious worship service, a core First Amendment activity – worse than other sign messages,” said Professor Thomas Berg, director of the UST Religious Liberty Appellate Clinic.

Berg and Michael Blissenbach, J.D. ‘15, were the principal co-authors of the amicus brief.

The Religious Liberty Appellate Clinic offers four to six law students each year the opportunity to draft briefs in important religious liberty cases, typically on behalf of national civil liberties and religious organizations filing as amicus curiae. The clinic gives students an intensive experience in formulating, writing and refining appellate arguments, with review by experienced advocates, and in the strategy of framing arguments by amici, who typically present distinctive information or issues that may benefit the judges deciding the case.

“Writing the brief with Professor Berg and Christian Legal Society attorney Kim Colby was one of the most rigorous and rewarding experiences I have had, and gave me firsthand experience at doing the sort of work that religious liberty attorneys do on a regular basis,” Blissenbach said. “This experience has deepened my desire to work to protect the rights of individuals and organizations to live their lives in accordance with the dictates of their deeply held religious beliefs.”

An innovative professional development curriculum for law students developed at the University of St. Thomas School of Law has earned top honors from the American Bar Association as a 2015 recipient of the E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Award.

Roadmap: The Law Student’s Guide to Preparing and Implementing a Successful Plan for Meaningful Employment was spearheaded by Professor Neil Hamilton and supported by the school’s Thomas E. Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, for which Hamilton serves as director, with contributions from UST School of Law faculty, staff and students. The Roadmap helps students take ownership of their professional development by giving them the tools needed to develop individualized plans that leverage their own strengths, priorities, and the three years of law school to achieve employment success. The book was published by the ABA earlier this month.

“The Roadmap is an outgrowth of our mission, which is premised on the importance of educating the whole person,” UST School of Law Dean Robert Vischer said. “Preparing our students for meaningful employment is not just about teaching them particular skills, but also about forming their professional identities to reflect a commitment to serve others.”

“By requiring each student to do the Roadmap curriculum and to meet with a coach for feedback, professors hoped each student would make progress toward later stages of self-directed learning,” Hamilton added. “The assessment data indicate substantial student development on this learning outcome.”

The effort also signifies why faculty scholarship is important to the student experience, both as an opportunity for collaboration and for the meaningful application of innovative ideas. Twelve UST School of Law students contributed to the Roadmap under Hamilton’s leadership, including Madeleine Coulter ‘15, Christopher Damian ‘16, Katherine Jirik ‘15, Peter Leslie ‘15, Patrick Lucke ‘15, Robert Maloney ‘16, Carl Numrich ‘15, Sarah Schaefer ‘15, Colin Seaborg ‘15, Catherine Underwood ‘16, Bryan Wachter ’15 and Bradley Yenter ‘16.

“The… Roadmap curriculum represents an extraordinary advancement in law school curricular programming designed to enable students to proactively take responsibility for their own professional development and attain core competencies needed to serve clients, the profession and the public. The design is founded on ground-breaking research on professional formation and the qualities of lawyers most valued in the legal marketplace, with a focus on service,” Frederick S. Ury, chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Professionalism, wrote in a letter announcing the recognition. “We note that the Roadmap is the latest manifestation of the University of St. Thomas School of Law’s long-established record of national leadership in the scholarly examination and advancement of the critical role of professional formation education and professional identity development.”

The ABA’s Gambrell Awards honor excellence and innovation in professionalism programs by law schools, bar associations, professionalism commissions and other law-related organizations. UST School of Law is one of just two law schools in the United States to receive the award more than once, having been awarded a Gambrell in 2005 for the Mentor Externship Program.

]]>http://www.stthomas.edu/news/school-laws-roadmap-curriculum-wins-gambrell-award-aba/feed/0Murphy Institute to Offer Post-Graduate Fellowships with the United Nations in New York and Switzerlandhttp://www.stthomas.edu/news/murphy-institute-offer-post-graduate-fellowships-united-nations-new-york-switzerland/ http://www.stthomas.edu/news/murphy-institute-offer-post-graduate-fellowships-united-nations-new-york-switzerland/#commentsWed, 20 May 2015 14:04:18 +0000http://www.stthomas.edu/news/?p=158322

The Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law and Public Policy, a collaboration of the University of St. Thomas School of Law and the Center for Catholic Studies, will offer two 12-month fellowships in support of the work of the Holy See at the United Nations beginning this fall.

The fellowships are open to graduates of either UST School of Law’s juris doctor program or Catholic Studies’ master of arts program. One fellowship is with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York City; the other is in Geneva, Switzerland, with the Caritas in Veritate Foundation.

]]>http://www.stthomas.edu/news/murphy-institute-offer-post-graduate-fellowships-united-nations-new-york-switzerland/feed/0Thanks to Donors, Five Law Students Will Serve Communities This Summer Through Public Interest Fellowshipshttp://www.stthomas.edu/news/thanks-donors-five-law-students-will-serve-communities-summer-public-interest-fellowships/ http://www.stthomas.edu/news/thanks-donors-five-law-students-will-serve-communities-summer-public-interest-fellowships/#commentsTue, 21 Apr 2015 20:20:56 +0000http://www.stthomas.edu/news/?p=157633

Each year, more than 45 percent of University of St. Thomas School of Law alumni participate in annual giving, with many giving to the UST-MJF Public Interest Fellowship (PILF) designation. The 3L Class Gift raises money for the PILF, in addition to funding a tangible gift. The Dean of the School of Law also provides a matching gift for the PILF when the 3L class reaches greater than 80 percent participation. In addition, the UST School of Law UST Minnesota Justice Foundation (MJF) Student Chapter raises money for summer public interest fellowships through fundraising efforts, for example its silent auction, mitten sales, chili cook-off.

Because of alumni giving, the class of 2014’s participation in its 3L class gift, the Dean’s match, and UST-MJF Student Chapter fundraising, this year a total of $18,000 in Public Interest Fellowships (PILF) were awarded, specifically, $12,000 from alumni donors, the 3L Class Gift, and the Dean’s match; and another $6,000 from the UST-MJF student chapter. UST School of Law is pleased to announce that this summer, five students will serve the following organizations that are the recipients of the PILF funds:

UST School of Law is grateful to all donors and the UST-MJF Student Chapter fundraising efforts for making these fellowships possible and for providing five students with valuable work experience this summer.

Law students from several affinity groups at the University of St. Thomas School of Law will together launch an event series exploring issues of legal significance from the diverse perspectives of their groups.

The series, dubbed Perspectives, will bring in several expert speakers and national exhibits, and offer free continuing legal education (CLE) credits to lawyers who attend. The focus for the inaugural series is World War II and the Law. Joining together to offer the series are the UST School of Law chapters of the Black Law Students Association, Military Law Society, Jewish Law Students Association, Louis D. Brandeis Law Society, Latino/a Law Students Association, Immigration Law Society, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, St. Thomas More Society, and OUT!Law. Non-student groups participating include the Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Public Policy; Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions; Minnesota State Bar Association Military and Veterans Affairs Section; and Twin Cities Cardozo Society.

Organizers expect the series to be an annual offering. All events are held on the UST School of Law campus in downtown Minneapolis, 1000 LaSalle Ave. They include:

“Hot Topics: Cool Talks – The Architecture of an Apology,” from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, in room 235. This event features Dr. Mahmoud El-Kati, professor emeritus of history at Macalester College in St. Paul, and Dr. Kimberly Vrudny, associate professor of systematic theology at the University of St. Thomas, exploring what countries do or don’t do to apologize for atrocities of the past. Lunch is provided to those who register in advance, and CLE credit is pending. This event is presented by the University of St. Thomas Black Law Students Association and the Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Public Policy.

“Echoes of War: The Combat Veteran in Criminal Court,” from 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, in the Frey Moot Courtroom. This event features Brockton D. Hunter, criminal defense attorney and partner at Brockton D. Hunter P.A., discussing the evolution in the public perception of post-traumatic stress disorder, from World War II to the present. CLE credit is pending. This event is presented by the University of St. Thomas Military Law Society and the Minnesota State Bar Association Military and Veterans Affairs Section.

“From St. Louis to Today: How Attitudes Toward Immigrants Shape Immigration Law and Policy,” from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, in room 235. This event features Michael H. Davis, founder and managing partner of Davis & Goldfarb, PLLC, who will explain how xenophobia, racism and anti-Semitism defeated the Wagner-Rogers refugee aid bill, shaped immigration policies and led to the tragedy of the St. Louis. Lunch is provided to those who register in advance, and CLE credit is pending. This event is presented by the University of St. Thomas Latino/a Law Students Association and the Immigration Law Society.

“The Japanese-American Experience During WWII,” from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Monday, April 20, in room 244. This event features Sally Ohno Sudo, whose family lived in the military exclusion zone at the outbreak of WWII and was incarcerated at the Puyallup, Washington, fairgrounds and then sent to an American concentration camp in Minidoka, Idaho. Lunch is provided to those who register in advance. This event is presented by the University of St. Thomas Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

“Edith Stein: A Mind and Heart for God,” from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, in room 244. This event features Dr. Catherine A. Deavell, associate professor of philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, who will discuss the life, intellectual and religious conversion, and death of Edith Stein, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, a German-Jewish philosopher who became a nun in the Roman Catholic Church and was killed in the Auschwitz concentration camp. Lunch is provided to those who register in advance. This event is presented by the University of St. Thomas St. Thomas More Society.

“The Holocaust: The Assault on Humanity and Human Dignity,” from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23, in room 235. This event features Rabbi Michael Adam Latz, senior rabbi of Shir Tikvah, who will discuss the Final Solution and the manner in which the Nazis’ quest to exterminate Jews expanded to target gays and lesbians, the disabled, and ultimately became an all-out assault on humanity and human dignity. Lunch is provided to those who register in advance, and CLE credit is pending. This event is presented by the University of St. Thomas OUT!Law.

Two national exhibits, “Lawyers Without Rights” and “Always Lost: A Meditation on War,” also will be housed on campus during the series. “Lawyers Without Rights” offers a portrait of the fate of Jewish lawyers in Germany during the Holocaust, and is presented by the Jewish Law Students Association and the Louis D. Brandeis Law Student Chapter. It will be shown April 15-24. “Always Lost: A Meditation on War” features individual photographs with the names of the more than 6,500 U.S. military war casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001, as well as literary works by writing groups and classes, veterans and their families. This exhibit is presented by the Military Law Society and will be shown April 15-24.

The University of St. Thomas School of Law is the No. 3 law school in the nation for practical training and the top law school in the Upper Midwest for clinical training, according to recently released rankings from The National Jurist and U.S. News and World Report.

The practical training recognition comes from The National Jurist’s March 2015 issue, with UST School of Law outranked only by Northeastern University and Yale Law School. Pepperdine University, the University of Hawaii, the University of Wisconsin, Brigham Young University, Washington and Lee University, Baylor University and the University of Denver round out the top 10, with no other Minnesota school reaching the top 20. In 2014, The National Jurist ranked UST School of Law No. 1 on this list.

When U.S. News and World Report released the 2016 edition of its annual Best Graduate Schools rankings on March 10, UST School of Law was for the first time named on the publication’s shortlist of best law schools for clinical training. Coming in at No. 27 in the nation, UST School of Law outranks every other law school in the Upper Midwest in this area. Home to 11 legal clinics, more than 60 percent of UST School of Law students choose to enroll in at least one live-client clinical course during their time in law school.

The 2016 edition of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Graduate Schools list also revealed that UST School of Law is now ranked as the top private law school in Minnesota, ahead of local competitors William Mitchell College of Law and Hamline University School of Law, which are set to merge later this year.

Two professors from the University of St. Thomas School of Law are among the founding members of a new initiative that seeks to “make marriage achievable for all Americans, regardless of social class or sexual orientation.”

The Marriage Opportunity Council, a 103-member bipartisan coalition of scholars and leaders including professors Thomas Berg and Charles Reid, will “seek to identify and reduce legal, social and economic impediments to marriage.” The formation of the group was announced Feb. 23 in a statement titled, Marriage Opportunity: The Moment for National Action, signed by the Council’s members.

The statement reflects the concern that an increasing “marriage gap” is helping to keep millions of working-class and poor Americans caught in a downward spiral of economic vulnerability. But it expresses optimism that the increasing recognition of same-sex civil marriage provides an opportunity to strengthen society’s support for marriage, “build on the success of gay and lesbian families,” and, in the words of Council Co-Director Jonathan Rauch of the Brookings Institution, advance “a new pro-family, pro-[marriage]-equality consensus.”

Commercial lawyers too often are given (or take) a free pass when considering whether they are practicing with a sense of purpose – at least one that extends beyond meeting billable targets. This may be due to the difficulty of connecting their day-to-day work with the broader ideal of “search(ing) for truth through a focus on morality and social justice.” Yet, at its core, commercial practice shares a commonality with all other types of law: serving clients in an honest, eth­ical and effective manner.

For me, fulfilling this common purpose draws on two concepts heavily emphasized during my time at the University of St. Thomas School of Law: servant leadership and the trusted adviser model. These concepts – one given (servant leadership) and one earned (trusted adviser) – are consistent with the type of service business clients expect and deserve, and ultimately, that contribute to a fulfilling practice.

According to professor Neil Hamilton, servant leadership “encourages leaders to serve others’ highest priority needs, helping others to reach their potential, to be their better selves, to be what they are capable of becoming.”

My practice is somewhat unique in that I work with businesses of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to closely held businesses. Regardless of the size of the client, I can always identify people on each project that I can help “be their better selves.” Within the confines of Model Rule 1.13, identifying with and relating to the people you work for through a strong servant leadership-ethic contributes to a deeper meaning in corporate practice. For example, servant leadership transforms a completed transaction from a few more dollars booked (or hours billed) to a means of helping my counterpart advance his or her career. In this way, servant leadership both draws upon and contributes to a purpose-centric view of commercial practice.

Ultimately, a strong servant lead­ership ethic helps form the basis of a trusted adviser relationship. The adviser provides not only technical answers, but also perspective and insight into broader issues. Achieving a trusted adviser relationship occurs through a continual demonstration of technical skill and a commitment to others’ wellbeing (i.e., servant leader­ship). Because it is something earned, it looks different from deal to deal, client to client and year to year.

One client may entrust you with a bet-the-firm deal early in your career while another might not bring you into broader issues until you are the most senior of senior partners. Yet once earned, the trusted adviser receives the benefit of engaging clients in a deeper, more meaningful way. Further, as the view of “doing well by doing good” continues to challenge the accepted wisdom that the only intention of business is to maximize profits, advising clients from a broader, purpose-centric perspective will become increasingly synonymous with corporate practice.

It is always important to remember that commercial practitioners do have a role in our broader legal system con­sistent with “the search for truth.” At a recent Mission Roundtable discussion at UST School of Law, I pointed out that the attorney who represents util­ities in rate proceedings and banks in commercial lending transactions is not necessarily a natural fit for such a talk. While the joke helped grab people’s attention, it failed to acknowledge the importance all commercial attorneys play in the larger legal system.

Rate cases are not just about increasing utility revenue; they are a necessary process by which a private party is given just compensation for the public’s use of its property. Commercial lending facilitates economic growth and reinforces the importance of private parties creating their own law through contractual relationships. Commercial practitioners uphold these and other fundamental tenants of our legal system on a daily basis. In doing so, we ensure the rule of law continues to have a place in our society, a benefit that extends beyond the particular transaction in question. Fulfilling these roles within our legal system is entirely consistent with an intention-driven practice.

My legal education helped provide the building blocks for a meaningful, purpose-filled commercial practice. At its heart, the practice of law is a com­mitment to serving others, a concept enshrined in the school’s mission and character. My time in law school helped me internalize that by directing my efforts toward the betterment of others, I am a better, more successful, and ulti­mately more satisfied attorney.

Pat Zomer ’11 practices in the areas of utility regulation, commercial lending and business law at Moss & Barnett, a profes­sional association.

For some, the law is all about theoretical ideas and legal concepts. It’s about crafting the perfect argument and winning. For others, it’s the people who matter. They see the faces behind the ideas, recognize the individuals who inhabit the concepts and value the lives that change for the better.

Many alumni of the University of St. Thomas School of Law fall into the second category. For them, the legal skills they learned blend inextricably with the school’s focus on social justice and their own personal values. And because of them, the world is a better place.

Jessica Slattery: Fighting for Justice Around the World

Jessica Slattery ’06 is reminded of the importance of her job every time she gets dressed. She thinks about the garment workers who made her clothes, knowing that her work as a foreign affairs officer in the U.S. State Department is making a difference in their lives.

She remembers a 19-year-old woman she met in Dhaka, Bangladesh, who works in a garment factory. Like other women throughout the world bucking the trend of culturally conservative or limited gender roles, earning her own income helps her have more say in her life and that of her family. But these benefits are hard fought. The more than 4 million garment workers in Bangladesh work long hours in unsafe conditions and earn the lowest minimum wage in the world. In November 2012, a garment factory fire in Dhaka killed 112 workers. The following April, more than 1,100 workers were killed when a several-story garment factory collapsed.

Now, Bangladesh is a case study about globalization, governance and responsible business conduct, and Slattery is working to engage stakeholders and find solutions to these important issues. The U.S. government; the European Union; the Bangladesh government; and International Labor Organization, a specialized U.N. agency that works on labor issues; have signed an agreement to cooperate on worker safety and workers’ rights in Bangladesh.

Slattery’s path to the State Department started at the UST School of Law, which she chose because of its emphasis on social justice. As a student, she studied employment and labor law. “Work is closely linked to identity and dignity – it’s a big part of life,” she said.

After graduation, she clerked at the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and worked briefly at a Twin Cities firm until she found something that intrigued her – a summer course in Montenegro on legal reforms necessary for Balkan countries to join the European Union. Slattery was invigorated by the experience. “I found what made my heart sing,” she said.

After earning master’s degrees in history and international relations through the Atlantis Program, much of which took place in Estonia and Poland, Slattery participated in the Presidential Management Fellows program, a two-year program for high-performing graduate and law students designed to create the next generation of civil service leaders. It included two international rotations, which she spent as a human rights officer at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium, and in Dhaka.

“I was working on the ground with the people whose lives I was trying to affect,” she said. “It was an incredibly fulfilling experience.”

Back in Dhaka last summer, Slattery met with the 19-year-old garment worker and others trying to organize. They thanked her and the U.S. government for their efforts to improve working conditions. “They said they finally have clean water and (take) breaks,” Slattery said. “I told them about the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist fire, which in many ways started the American labor movement. As our ambassador to Bangladesh often says, sometimes tragedies have silver linings. We’re working to make that happen here.”

There’s something different here, they say. Something that makes this place feel special. It’s what drew them in, made them feel at ease and pushed them to work harder. Cohesion. Camaraderie. Fellowship. Authenticity.

For the newest classes of students at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, the experience of attending law school here is difficult to put into words. The school itself is charting new territory, for the first time opening its doors to non-J.D. students in fall 2014, and welcoming lawyers from around the Twin Cities and around the world into its two new LL.M. programs.

So, who are these new students? What brought them here, and where will they go when they leave? Here, we profile six of the newest crop of students making an impact at UST School of Law.

]]>http://www.stthomas.edu/news/new-generation-st-thomas-lawyers/feed/0Levy-Pounds recognized by business and legal communities with Attorney of the Year and 40 Under 40 awardshttp://www.stthomas.edu/news/levy-pounds-recognized-business-legal-communities-attorney-year-40-40-awards/ http://www.stthomas.edu/news/levy-pounds-recognized-business-legal-communities-attorney-year-40-40-awards/#commentsMon, 26 Jan 2015 18:32:50 +0000http://www.stthomas.edu/news/?p=155067

University of St. Thomas School of Law Professor Nekima Levy-Pounds was announced recently as a 2014 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer and a 40 Under 40 honoree for 2015 by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

The awards recognize Levy-Pounds’ work as a civil rights attorney, law professor and founding director of the award-winning UST School of Law Community Justice Project. Through her work at UST School of Law, Levy-Pounds fosters and inspires up-and-coming lawyers to work to improve the lives of members of under-served communities and youths in the Twin Cities. She also has carved her place in the local civil rights movement by challenging laws and policies that hold back communities of color. Levy-Pounds most recently has taken an active role in the Black Lives Matter movement.

According to Minnesota Lawyer, the Attorneys of the Year awards recognize Minnesota attorneys who display leadership, involvement in major cases or other newsworthy events, excellence in corporate or transactional services, and public service. When it comes to the 40 Under 40 list, Levy-Pounds was chosen for the honor in a year that marked a record 600 nominations. The recognition calls out people under the age of 40 who have already established themselves as leaders in their industries and the community.

In addition to her role at UST School of Law, Levy-Pounds is co-chair of Everybody In, chair of the Minnesota Advisory Commission to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, member of the board of directors for Catholic Charities of Minnesota, member of the board of directors for The Minneapolis Foundation, chair of Brotherhood, Inc., fellow of the American Bar Foundation, member of the Senate File 2725 Work Group, past adviser to Senator Al Franken, member of the FBI Civil Rights Advisory Group, and contributing writer to MinnPost, the Star Tribune and Twin Cities Daily Planet.

Levy-Pounds will be recognized by Minnesota Lawyeron Feb. 19 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. She will be recognized by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journalon March 5 at Aria Minneapolis.

Two professors and two local attorneys will analyze the oral arguments made in the Young v. United Parcel Service Supreme Court case during a roundtable discussion Jan. 29 at the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

The event is free and open to the public. It will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Frey Moot Courtroom at UST School of Law’s downtown Minneapolis campus. A reception will follow.

Young v. United Parcel Service centers on a part-time UPS driver who lost seven months of wages and her medical insurance when the company refused to accommodate the lifting restrictions her doctor recommended during her pregnancy. UST School of Law professors Thomas Berg and Teresa Collett served as counsel on an amicus brief filed for the case on the worker’s behalf, with Professor Elizabeth Schiltz also contributing. Their brief had the support of both pro-life and pro-choice advocacy groups.

Berg and Collett will serve as panelists at the Jan. 29 event alongside Sara Gross Methner, general counsel for St. Thomas, and Melissa Raphan, partner and labor and employment department head for Dorsey & Whitney, LLP. Schiltz is the program moderator and also co-director of the Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Public Policy, which is hosting the program in partnership with the UST Women Law Student Association.

]]>http://www.stthomas.edu/news/law-professors-attorneys-analyze-young-v-ups-case-pregnancy-discrimination/feed/03M Partners with UST School of Law to Launch Community Justice Fellowshiphttp://www.stthomas.edu/news/3m-partners-ust-school-law-launch-community-justice-fellowship/ http://www.stthomas.edu/news/3m-partners-ust-school-law-launch-community-justice-fellowship/#commentsWed, 03 Dec 2014 19:42:34 +0000http://www.stthomas.edu/news/?p=153911

In partnership with 3M, the University of St. Thomas School of Law is launching a new fellowship program that will allow a new law graduate to work full time for the school’s award-winning Community Justice Project.

The 3M Community Justice Fellowship will give a UST School of Law alumnus the chance to dedicate his or her post-graduate year to bridge-building with community stakeholders and problem-solving in underserved communities. The program has been approved for three years, with one fellow being named each year.

“Beginning in the spring of 2016, one third-year law student will be selected to work alongside Professor Nekima Levy-Pounds to further the important work of our Community Justice Project,” Dean Robert Vischer said. “This is a strong affirmation of the Community Justice Project’s relevance and positive impact on our community.”

One of the school’s 11 legal clinics and part of the university’s Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services, the Community Justice Project primarily works to improve the lives of the African American community in the Twin Cities. Led by Levy-Pounds, the law students and faculty who work in the clinic have engaged in intensive research into practical solutions to longstanding challenges, such as racial disparities in the criminal justice system, policy brutality, and racial disparities in the educational and juvenile justice systems.

“I am honored that the Community Justice Project has been selected to participate in this groundbreaking partnership with 3M,” Levy-Pounds said. “Our Community Justice Fellow will work to advance the cause of justice on a variety of issues that impact communities of color. I anticipate that the fellow will make significant contributions as an attorney and advocate for social change.”

The Community Justice Project is responsible for founding Brotherhood, Inc., a Saint Paul-based non-profit organization aimed at creating pathways out of poverty, gangs and incarceration for young African American men through educational opportunities, social services, legal services and in-house employment. Most recently, the group has leading local efforts to address the strained relationship between the African American community and Minneapolis Police Department, and the racial disparities in the Minneapolis Public Schools.